


Pendulum of Bonds

by entermates



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: merry zarcmas homura!!!, revue starlight au, ygo secret santa 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 22:26:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17150207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/entermates/pseuds/entermates
Summary: The script is new.It is not the worn and torn up script that Yuya knows by heart. The words do not match up with the ones Yuya can recite in his dreams.This script is not the Pendulum he knows.





	1. ONE

**Author's Note:**

  * For [EntameWitchLulu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EntameWitchLulu/gifts).



> hi hi!!! i was your secret santa this year!! i wrote a little bit more for the arc v/revue starlight au, and i hope you'll enjoy it!! have a wonderful zarcmas! :D
> 
> also i split things up into two chapters so it reads a bit easier. enjoy!

_“This is the story of a swinging Pendulum, from long ago, and far in the future. Passed down in a small village, in a small country, through their summer Pendulum festival.”_

* * *

“I love this Pendulum!” Yuzu’s excitement is infectious. She beams while hugging her script and the others in their script-reading circle can’t help but smile. There’s a chuckle from Masumi and a nod from Reiji.

“It’s a bit different, but I think that’s a good thing,” Ruri speaks in agreement while glancing over her own script. It’s so hard to believe that Yugo, Rin and Yuto had written everything in one night, but all their effort showed.

“Glad it’s good, but stop wrinkling it Yuzu, sheesh!” Rin calls out from adjusting Yuri’s costume on the other side of the room, and Yuzu laughs.

“Sure, sure!” There’s another round of laughter before their reading resumes. Yuzu picks up where she’d left off, “All of you are joyful. The sin you committed… you must not see tragedy coming!”

“Another change?” Yuya speaks up this time. He’d been quiet today--completely unlike his usual enthusiastic self. “How many changes did you guys make?”

“Dunno. I mean, we just felt like trying out new things could be fun. It’s the first draft, so if something’s awful we can change it I guess.” Yugo shrugs.

“I think change is a good thing,” Ray looks up from the script resting in her lap. “Life only happens once. Repeating one story over and over again is boring, and it won’t get us anywhere. We have to try different things to avoid all of that.”

Reiji nods. “Even though it is a reshowing, we can improve it. We can make it a better play.” His words are as wise as Ray’s. Change was needed so they could grow as people and performers. It made sense.

“Mhm! I think we all need change so we can move forward and grow!” Yuzu feels happiness spread over her as everyone agrees with her words. It’s for a moment, and then it fades when she turns to look over at Yuya. He’s looking down, with the new script closed and resting in his lap.

 _Something’s wrong with Yuya._ She thinks.

* * *

“I don’t… I don’t think I’ve ever seen Yuya like that.” There’s a sigh, and then Yuzu pops a cookie into her mouth. Masumi and her had split off after the screen-reading to grab some food and take a break.

“Are you sure you’re not overthinking? But then again, I can’t say I know Yuya that well.” Masumi mumbles.

“I’m positive I’m not! He was so happy during last year’s Pendulum, and now he won’t even open the script for the current one. I like this Pendulum a lot, and I can’t see why he wouldn’t.”

Now Masumi sighs and sets her cup of tea down. “Yuzu, you like Pendulum too much.”

“W-Well yeah!! It’s the first play I saw, and it made me want to become an actress! Besides, you like it too much too!” Yuzu winks.

“Yeah.” Masumi unzips her bag and pulls a large book out of it. The book is mostly white, save for a light blue pendulum swinging across the front of it.

“That’s the original Pendulum! How’d you even find it?!”

“I found it when I was in London.”

Yuzu scoots her chair closer to Masumi’s and opens the book.

“Could we read it together?”

“Of course,” Masumi responds with a smile.

“Pendulum,” Yuzu reads aloud from the first page. “It is the story of goddesses that were guided by the swaying Pendulum.”

* * *

YOU-SHOW SCHOOL’S 99TH FESTIVAL

“ _PENDULUM_ ”

* * *

The tower stands tall in the distance, with a pendulum swinging above it. It shines brightly under the bright stage lights. There are two figures under the tower. The light does not shine on them yet and they are hard to make out, but their voices ring loudly throughout the theater nonetheless.

 _“_ In front of the Pendulum that swings through the sky, I met Flora.” Ray recites, extending her hand towards Serena.

“I met Claire.” Serena takes Ray’s hand in her own with a smile.

“For our fated encounter.” The two chime in unison as their hands intertwine under the swinging pendulum. Stage lights shine on the girls as if responding to their to their chime. Serena and Ray shine brightly underneath the hot stage lights.

“It seems we’ve been together for a long time,” Serena speaks, looking at Ray with a smile.

“Let’s meet here again, next year!”

“On this star festival night!” They speak in unison once more and the lights dim to black.

_Those two were bound by an ancient promise. However, on the Pendulum festival when they were 16…_

The scenery has changed. Serena and Ray sit on a wooden bench with festive lights strung above them and flower petals scattered at their feet.

“Claire, it’s been a year! We meet again!” Serena reaches forward to take Ray’s hands in her own, but Ray pulls away.

“Who are you?”

“Who--Claire?”

“I don’t know!” Ray quickly backs away and stands up. “Your voice, your warmth… I can remember that my promise with you is important.” Tears brim at the edges of Ray’s eyes, and she clutches her head in her hands. “But I can’t remember!”

Serena sits there, looking up at Ray’s trembling body in fear.

_On the way home from last year’s festival, she had an accident and lost her memory._

Serena gets to her feet. “Maybe we can get it back. Today is the annual Pendulum festival. If we can grasp the pendulum swinging above the tower, we might get it back.”

Once more, the lights dim. They fade back on, and the two stand in front of that tall tower once more. They extend their arms towards the swinging pendulum.

“Let’s go, together. To grasp that pendulum!” They say.

* * *

_“If you grasp the swinging pendulum, you will receive a small joy.”_

_“If you grasp that pendulum, you will receive great wealth.”_

_“If you grasp both of them, you will receive an eternal wish.”_

* * *

The old Pendulum pillar lies in the storeroom. There’s a tarp partially covering it, but Yuya can spot the layers of dust on the uncovered end.

 _This isn’t right._ He thinks. _It shouldn’t be treated like this at all._ Yuya shakes his head and pulls back the worn cloth from the pillar.

“That’s the tower of stars, correct?” Oh… Reiji had followed him in here. “They’re going to be rebuilding it for the play.” Reiji walks up to Yuya.

“I see…” Yuya looks away. He doesn’t want to talk to Reiji, or anyone for that matter right now.

“It’ll get busy just like last year,” Reiji continues. “Staying up late was hard, but it was a full and productive time… I believe.”

Yuya doesn’t respond, so Reiji resumes talking once more.

“Even though it has only been two months, it feels longer, wouldn’t you agree?”

Yuya laughs and holds _his_ script--the worn one that he knows by heart and can recite in his dreams--close to his chest. “It’ll begin again. The 99th You-Show festival’s Pendulum.”

“Yuya?”

“I… I’ve always been alone. Coming here changed that. I met friends that showed me what it meant to make a play together. I was able to stand on a stage and smile. It was my first play, Reiji.”

“I don’t quite understand, Yuya.”

“I have to protect it. _I have to protect my_ _Pendulum_.”

* * *

“Grasping the pendulum forgives your sins. Grasping the pendulum is a miracle of the night.” They speak while holding hands, and then step forward to enter the tower.

_Relying on those words, the two arrived at the tower. However…_

The tower doors open, and a group of people lie on the steps. They are dressed in white robes, and white headdress lined with shimmering gems rest on their heads.

_They had been confined in the tower 500 years ago. Inactive, near death, Gods and Goddesses with grievous sin._

_Rage._ Reiji’s eyes open. _Desertion._ Yuri follows suit. _Pride._ Yuzu opens her eyes. _Self-bondage._ Dennis’s eyes open. _Envy._ Ruri opens her eyes. _Despair._ Yuya hesitates, and then his eyes open.

“Please, let us acquire the Pendulum! For Claire’s sake!” Serena pleads.

“We have no Pendulum to give to you!” The Gods and Goddesses shout. They grab their weapons and get to their feet.

_Why are you imprisoned here? What kind of sins have you committed? After so long, the Gods and Goddesses had forgotten even that._

“Ah, it repeats again. The cycle of despair, before the swinging Pendulum.” Yuya shouts as the girls ignore the warnings they were given. The two climb into a cage, and slowly they are lifted to the top of the tower.

_Even as they are cut to pieces by the Gods and Goddesses’ dark emotions, the two went to the tower’s peak._

The cage reaches the top of the tower. Serena opens the door and guides Ray out of the cage.

“Right before us, Claire’s Pendulum is--” The two cry out as the reach for the swinging pendulum. They can swear they’re about to touch the bottom tip of it, but then the Gods and Goddesses shout.

“Take it! The star you wish for!”

Suddenly, the pendulum glows red. “My eyes! I can’t see!” Serena screams, throwing her arms over her face and collapsing to the floor.

The tower splits down the middle. Ray screams echo through the theater as she’s pulled away from Serena.

“Claire? Claire, where are you?!” Serena screams as her half of the tower sinks down.

Serena vanishes, and Ray collapses to her knees. “I remember. Your name is…” She reaches her hands out to the Pendulum. “I am sorry, Flora. Our dream did not come true.”

_With her eyes burnt from the Pendulum’s brilliance, Flora fell from the tower. To be forever separated from Claire. And above them, the Pendulum continues to swing forever._

The curtains close, and the audience begins to applaud.

* * *

Masumi takes a breath and then closes the book. By the two had finished reading, the sun started to set.

“It’s good.” Yuzu smiles.

“It is.” Masumi smiles back.

 _For her best friend, Flora’s bravery, paying no heed to danger while trying to cause a miracle._ Yuzu thinks.

 _Claire’s strength, not forgetting her promise with her best friend, despite losing her memory._ Masumi thinks.

“It’s really good!” Yuzu takes Masumi’s hands in her own, and Masumi squeezes them.

“It is!”

Yuzu laughs, and lets go of Masumi’s hands to lift up the book. “This book is a treasure! It may be old and thick and heavy, but it’s still amazing!”

“It’s just an old book I bought, Yuzu. There’s no particular value to it,” Masumi takes a breath, and then continues. “What really has value is the play we put on and the kinds of stars we become, right?”

“Yeah! We’ll make this new Pendulum the very best it can be!” Yuzu holds the book close to her chest and smiles. _We’ll make this Pendulum wonderful!_

* * *

Reiji doesn’t understand what’s gotten into Yuya. There’s no emotion in that voice of his that’s usually so full of life, and it feels unsettling.

“The greatest play and my precious friends… I want to protect them both. For my fated stage, I chose to repeat that first play.” Yuya’s holding a script close to his chest while he speaks. Reiji can spot the bookmarks sticking out from the pages and the wrinkles covering the back of it.

“Fated… stage? Yuya, are you speaking of the hippo’s stage?”  
“I haven’t met you in the auditions this time. It’s kind of a shame, Reiji. Fighting against you was always exciting and fun.”

“Yuya, that doesn’t answer my--”

“You said it yourself, Reiji,” Yuya cuts him off. “Even though last year was hard, it was a fun and productive time. It was the best year. That time can go on forever, so that’s why I’m repeating it. My eternal stage is that one year.”

“What are you saying, Yuya?”

“But… on that day when Masumi transferred, everything went wrong.” Yuya grips the script even tighter as he speaks.’

“Huh?”  
“Reiji, that script… I don’t know it.”

Reiji looks over the script in his hands as Yuya speaks. He can’t understand what’s wrong with Yuya. This year can be as productive as last years. Yuya’s actions aren’t making any sense in Reiji’s head.

“Everything is changing,” Yuya starts again, and Reiji looks up. “This new Pendulum… it’s not my Pendulum!” There’s finally some tone of emotion in Yuya’s voice as he turns to face Reiji with tears in his eyes. Reiji’s speechless, and unsure of how to respond or even comfort Yuya.

But he doesn’t have to.

That familiar, unsettling ringtone chimes throughout the room. Yuya pulls his phone from his pocket and Reiji can see the top of the black and white audition invitation.

“Yuya, we can talk about this--”

Yuya ignores him. He walks right out of the prop room, worn script in hand, leaving Reiji worried and unsure of what to do.

* * *

_If I want to continue my replays, I can’t lose to anyone else!_

Yuya walks down the stairs, completely lost in thought. He doesn’t know why everything is suddenly going wrong. _What happened this time around? Masumi started participating, and our eight-person audition became nine… so because of that, Yuzu was dropped from the cast._

Yuya’s pace quickens. He reaches the end of the stairs and continues down the hall towards the basement elevator. _But then Yuzu jumped in, and--_

Yuya stops. It hits him all at once and he feels so stupid for not seeing the truth sooner. “Masumi… Masumi’s not the one changing my replays. The one who changed everything… was Yuzu?”


	2. TWO

The stage lights are shining--responding to his brilliance like they always have. It gives Yuya a feeling of comfort as he sees the beams project a ‘99’ behind him and the cover of the first Pendulum script around him.  _ I have to win this. I absolutely have to win! _

“A tree laden with fruit, ripened by the stage,” Yuya starts to shout. “However, because everyone is so gentle, someone must protect them! 99th class, Sakaki Yuya!”

The lights shine even brighter as Yuya shouts. It’s reflecting off his swords and his button and it makes Yuya feel secure. Yuya feels safe as long as the stage is responding to him. Once more, he cries out. “I will protect it forever! As many times as I need!”

It’s then that the lights switch from their harsh white to a soft and eerie yellow. It’s then that Yuya’s opponent speaks up, and Yuya feels his grip on his swords loosen for a moment.

“Yuya..?” Yuzu asks with a tone of worry in her voice.

* * *

“Audition day seven: begin!” The hippo announces from the stands. Yuzu wants to ask him to wait or give her a timeout while she tries to understand everything. There’s no way this is Yuya. He’s never this harsh or… terrifying? His tone of voice is nothing but anger, and Yuzu finds herself even more worried than before.

_ I don’t… I don’t want to fight him like this! _

But Yuzu isn’t given much choice. Yuya raises one of his blades and begins to sing.

_ “I will never let anyone interfere in this eternal play made for me!” _

Yuya’s voice isn’t calming or full of happiness like it usually is. It’s just anger. 

Yuya starts to rush towards her, swords ready to strike. “The one who changed my replay was Yuzu. It was you!”

Yuya screams as he swings his swords down at her. Yuzu rushes to block his every move. Yuya isn’t giving up or stopping. He’s swinging blindly without thinking.

Their swords clash again, and Yuya speaks up. “Pendulum can only be told with eight people! There can’t be nine! So if that’s the case, then what’s your role Yuzu?” Yuya pushes his sword harder against hers, and Yuzu’s feet start to slide backwards. “What are you?!”

Yuya pulls his swords back and then quickly brings them down on Yuzu again. There’s a loud clang and she’s blown back by Yuya’s blow. Yuzu starts stumbling backwards, and she finds herself suddenly climbing up stairs.

Yuya doesn’t lighten up. He keeps swinging and hitting her sword with a loud ‘clang!’ Yuzu’s being pushed to the top of the staircase as Yuya keeps hitting her sword with his two.

“You’re not who you’ve been, Yuzu!” Clang.

“This isn’t the replay I know!” Clang.

She’s at the top. Yuzu looks down at the floor and then back up at Yuya. There’s anger and rage in his red eyes. He’s moving to strike her once more and he screams.

“What changed with Masumi’s arrival?! Why did it change?!  _ What are you trying to become with Masumi?! _ ” Yuya brings his two swords down, but Yuzu manages to lift hers in time. It blocks Yuya’s blow, but she can feel herself being pushed closer and closer to the edge.

“I made a promise! Masumi and I promised that we’d absolutely do Pendulum together!”

“I hate it!  _ I hate Pendulum! _ ” Yuya lets out an anguished scream and strikes Yuzu again. He keeps striking and striking until he sends her flying off the staircase.

_ “Change brings about tragedy!” _

Yuya sings, and the leaps off the staircase after her. “Being separated from the people you’ve grown to love and care for is a tragedy!”

Yuzu swears she can she tears falling from Yuya’s eyes as he falls towards the ground. “That’s why I protect you! That’s why I have to protect you with my replays! If I don’t defeat you, then my replays will come to an end!”

Yuya’s cries out and Yuzu can hear his voice breaking. Yuya’s in so much pain, and it hurts to see him like this.  _ But… Yuya winning won’t help him. It’ll only make things worse! _

Yuya lands and he quicky brings his swords down on her once more. Yuzu rushes to lift her sword and counter his blow. For a moment, they’re standing there and pushing their swords against each other. That’s when Yuzu speaks.  _ I have to get through to him somehow! _

“No, Yuya!” She sees Yuya flinch, but Yuzu continues. “We all grow every day! We’ll be different because we grow and the play will be different because the stage grows with us! If a play only has one run, it’ll burn out in an instant! People are precious and irreplaceable, Yuya! They have value! Because we burn out in an instant, we’re reborn every time we step onto that stage!”

Yuzu jumps back from Yuya, and begins to sing.

_ “Yesterday and today’s prayers that shine in the sky, when they are born, it reaches you far away.” _

The lights change. The symbol from last year’s script is shining on the stage below her feet. Yuzu stands in the center of the circle, and Yuya’s trembling at the other end. “Yuzu… You can’t!! W-We have to keep performing the replay! You can’t, Yuzu!” Yuya’s voice is cracking. It’s quiet and all the anger from earlier is gone.

_ “I just want to treasure and protect you.” _

Yuya sings shakily, but Yuzu can only give a smile as she walks outside of the symbol. “I’m sorry, Yuya.”

* * *

_ No… It can’t be gone! _

The familiar symbol Yuya loves vanishes from the stage floor. The lights change, no longer responding to his brilliance, but to Yuzu’s instead. That feeling of comfort he thought he would always have is gone, and Yuya want nothing more than to curl up and cry.

_ But I can’t. I still have to win. _

_ “What you cherished came together and became stronger.” _

Yuzu is singing now. Her voice is a beautiful melody. It’s full of happiness and joy. The lights shine brightly, responding to Yuzu’s song.

“I’m going with her! I’m going with Masumi to grasp that Pendulum!”

“Yuzu,” Yuya grips his sword. The lights shift to that eerie yellow, responding to him once more as he rushes forward. “Why are you shining so? Why are you so bright?!”

Yuzu begins to run, prepared to meet Yuya in the middle. Yuya holds his swords out, ready to stop Yuzu’s strike and knock her cape off like he always had. Yuya runs and screams as he reaches the middle. Yuya lifts his sword to strike Yuzu’s, and that familiar clang fills his ears.

But it’s…

It’s not Yuzu’s cape.

_ It’s… mine? _

_ “The bond of the swinging pendulum, I will protect it forever.” _

Yuzu’s stunning voice fills the auditorium once more. The lights go back to their shining white, and Yuya collapses to the floor.

That familiar sound of the curtain closing that he’d grown to know starts up. The curtain rolls, starts to roll out just as the hippo speaks up again.

“Audition day seven. Concluded!”

_ I… _

_ I lost…?  _ Yuya thinks as the curtain shuts him off from the stage he’s loved.

* * *

Yuya sits in the school courtyard with his knees pulled up to his chest. He hears footsteps in the grass, but he doesn’t want to look up and see who they belong too.

“You forgot this… in the prop room.” Reiji mutters, holding the worn script out to him. Reiji looks a bit nervous, and Yuya can’t blame him after their conversation earlier.

“Oh..” Yuya takes the script from Reiji, expecting him to leave but… he doesn’t. Reiji sits next to him in the grass.

“You’ve been watching over us all this time.” Reiji says.

“Over and over. I… I’ve always been alone,” Reiji doesn’t speak, so Yuya assumes it’s ok for him to continue. “I wanted to… protect everyone. I think… I think I might’ve gone about it the wrong way.”

“But men are men; the best sometimes forget.” Reiji looks forward and adjusts his glasses as he speaks.

“Huh? Reiji?”

“Those are Shakespeare’s words.” Reiji pauses, and then starts back up again. “Time travels at different times for different people. Those are… also Shakespeare’s words.”

Reiji’s looking away from him for some reason.  _ Is he… embarrassed?  _ Yuya thinks. But it… It’s nice. Yuya likes hearing it.

“More.” Yuya blurts out without thinking. He wants to cover his mouth or hope that Reiji didn’t hear, but Reiji taps his chin in thought.

“More? Erm… He who moves not forward, goes backwards. Goethe. The future influences the present just as much as the past. Nietzsche. It is never too late to become what you might have been. George Eliot. The greatest mistake you can make in life is continually fearing you’ll make one. Elbert Hubbard.”

That’s… That’s a lot more. Yuya hasn’t heard of any of the people Reiji’s mentioning outside of Shakespeare. It’s a lot of people, and a lot of quotes, and the fact that Reiji can just pull them out of his head like that is a little shocking to Yuya.

But still… He likes it. Maybe he just likes hearing Reiji talk, or maybe the quotes are cheering him up, but…  _ I want to hear more. _

“What else, Reiji?” He asks, and Reiji turns to look at him. His cheeks are a little red, and Yuya can’t recall ever seeing him slightly flustered like that.

“Y-You want more?”

“Mhm.”

“Well,” Reiji gets to his feet. “Everyone has a destined star. Morning stars, glittering stars, shooting stars. Even if I cannot see my star, I will look up as far as I can see today. 99th class, Akaba Reiji. I will grasp my own star.”

“What’s that?” That was a lot, and it didn’t sound like a book quote either.

“Those were my own words, Yuya.” Reiji smiles, and Yuya finds himself laughing.

“Wh-What is it?” That light blush is back on Reiji’s cheeks.

“This is fun, Reiji. It’s a first!”

“That’s unfair, Yuya. There’s so little I know about you, after all.”

Yuya stops laughing, and looks down at his script. “I might’ve been a little greedy.”

“Hm?”

“I wanted to make that one year more fun, and get along with everyone. For the replay’s sake, I messed with the lines a bit and added in stage directions. But then Masumi came, and with her arrival, Yuzu changed. Once Yuzu changed, everyone else started to change too,” Yuya sniffles. “It… it seemed like my replay was being rejected, and I got scared. But… I think these new days are exciting. Everyone’s growth is wonderful, and so I just… I don’t know what to do.”

“It’s because you’re growing too, Yuya.” Reiji sits beside him again.

“Huh?”

“For better things and better replays, both the stage and those who stand upon it must change.” Reiji smiles, and then does something Yuya doesn’t really expect.

Reiji’s hugging him. “If you keep shining on stage, then you’ll be fine. We can make it together, Yuya. All of us, together.”

“I-I…” Tears start pouring down Yuya’s cheeks and he doesn’t know why. Reiji holds him a little tighter as he sobs. “I-I’m Sorry!!”

“I never knew. I never knew someone who smiles as much as you do would cry this much.”

They stay like that for a few more minutes. Yuya sobs until his eyes feel dry, and then him and Reiji pull away from each other. Reiji lifts Yuya’s script up with a slight smile.

“Let’s bring it. That time you wanted to protect. Bring all of it with you to the next play.”

“Mhm!” Yuya takes the script from Reiji, and gives one of the big, joyful smiles he hasn’t shown in so long. “I’ll do my best!”

* * *

_ “Pendulum. This is the story of a swinging Pendulum, from long ago, and far in the future.” _


End file.
